I wasn't really interested in any of the Kyuranger stuff initially, but the more I see the KyuTama the more I like them. They look really good. So I'm definitely getting at least the two DX sets, if for no other reason than they're cheap as dirt. Just a shame that it's just those two, because the other ways to get KyuTamas are not as cheap or as convenient. Well, I'll wait until the show itself actually airs and I hear more of the sounds to see whether I'm interested in the changer itself at all, and perhaps if I really like both I'll even venture to get other stuff like the buckle. Honestly, I'm half just looking for an excuse to be able to justify getting the buckle, because Gemini is my sign and green my favorite color, and I really want that Futago KyuTama, but whatevs.

There's also a buncha SG and Gasha exclusives coming out, which I think I may also be interested in. Will probably try to see whether Kyuranger as a whole is something I want to spend money on, but man, they look nice. Just hope HLJ actually carries them. They did both for Ghost, but haven't put up any of the SG sets for Ex-Aid, and neither are up for preorder yet for Kyuranger. If I do end up wanting them, I just hope there's a convenient way for me to order them. Aftermarket prices for this kinda stuff is usually excessive, so I'd like to avoid that route.

I hope there isn't much difference between the Gashas and SG though....going through the listings, it looks like the Gashas have a lot more variety to offer, but the SGs look better, at least in stock photos....so...guess I'll see, anyway.

They had some preview cases of the DX Mecha in Akihabara Yodabashi today;

- The standard set looked great combined, and all of the component mechs looked awesome bar Shishi (who has great head, but looks a little shonky otherwise), even the chameleon looked smashing, especially with what looks to be an extending tool/tongue.

-the 'auxiliaries' look great individually, even the humanoids, who're a bit dull plastic-wise, but have much more attractive proportions in person (their arm modes left a little to be desired, but silver's is impressively ambitious, as we already new)

I'm not a huge fan of the sounds, the individual Voyagers are pretty lackluster and the combined robot still lacks basic articulation, but the light gimmick is very impressive. It looks really cool, and I imagine it gets even better with future combined forms.

Wotafa posted videos of Tenbin and Hebitsukai Voyagers, and I think I now understand a little more about the thinking that went into this line. The relative bricks in terms of limbs (Ookami, Oushi, Chameleon, and Kajiki) went into the main set, and the limbs with more complex engineering/more going on were released separately.

As I'd suspected, Tenbin and Hebitsukai are the most interesting of the bunch, with full, well-articulated (for Sentai mecha) robot modes. They share a ton of engineering, although what's on their arms differs, and the snake head pieces can fit together.

Tenbin's limb modes strike me as dodgy. Is its arm mode supposed to be a hammer? Hebitsukai looks rather good as an arm, however; the giant, skeletal snake head is sort of like the Kajiki swordfish in terms of obvious-usage. They both make okay-I-guess legs, albeit with a lot of kibble.

They seem to be the nicest mini-robots we've gotten since Buster Ace. (The Ninninger mecha suffered from lack of articulation and general brickiness.) As expected, you can actually see the silhouette of Hebitsukai's pilot in that Kyutama, making it - what? - the third where it's visible? Super close-ups I've seen indicate the shape is there on all of them. I can't tell whether it's more the plastic color of the layering of images behind the pilot silhouette that prevents it on the others.

My feelings on Sasori and Washi are more mixed. Sasori at least has that nice, articulated tail featuring some of the same design as the limbs of Tenbin and Hebitsukai. Washi (I've only seen keiz0's review)... I don't know what to think about it. I like the articulated wings and seemingly-articulated jaw. I'm hoping it has some kind of backpack/wings mode in a later combination, because it doesn't appear to do any significant transformation. As a limb, it's kind of like Kajiki: more or less un-transformed and just stuck on. With Kajiki, it works a little better due to the "sword" part of "swordfish," but, "Oh, hey, I've got a bird for an arm" is less persuasive. I guess it's not a bad leg, but once again: kibble. Other than its size, I can't figure out why it's in the same category as the more complex other single-release mecha.